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1908 VPI football team

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1908 VPI football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–4
Head coach
CaptainJoseph Talmage Luttrell
Home stadiumGibboney Field
Seasons
← 1907
1909 →
1908 Southern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Southwestern Louisiana Industrial   –   6 – 0 – 0
Virginia   –   7 – 0 – 1
Rollins   –   4 – 0 – 1
George Washington   –   8 – 1 – 1
Oklahoma   –   8 – 1 – 1
Tulane   –   7 – 1 – 0
North Carolina A&M   –   6 – 1 – 0
The Citadel   –   4 – 1 – 1
Navy   –   9 – 2 – 1
Florida   –   5 – 2 – 1
TCU   –   6 – 3 – 0
VMI   –   4 – 2 – 0
Davidson   –   5 – 3 – 1
Baylor   –   5 – 3 – 0
West Virginia   –   5 – 3 – 0
Kentucky State   –   4 – 3 – 0
Louisiana Industrial   –   4 – 3 – 1
Arkansas   –   5 – 4 – 0
Texas   –   5 – 4 – 0
VPI   –   5 – 4 – 0
Arkansas State Normal   –   3 – 3 – 0
Chattanooga   –   4 – 4 – 0
North Carolina   –   3 – 3 – 3
Oklahoma A&M   –   4 – 4 – 0
Delaware   –   3 – 4 – 1
Kendall   –   2 – 3 – 0
South Carolina   –   3 – 5 – 1
Texas A&M   –   3 – 5 – 0
Georgetown   –   2 – 4 – 1
Howard (AL)   –   2 – 4 – 0
Maryland   –   3 – 8 – 0
Stetson   –   0 – 1 – 1
Wake Forest   –   1 – 4 – 0
Goldey College   –   0 – 2 – 1
Mississippi College   –   0 – 1 – 0
Southwest Texas State   –   0 – 2 – 0
Marshall   –   0 – 6 – 0

The 1908 VPI football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1908 college football season. The team was led by their head coach R. M. Brown and finished with a record of five wins and four losses (5–4).

Rules

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"With the modernized plays that are being brought into the game," noted one writer, "football is, in its present state, the national game in the fall the same as baseball in the summer.".[1] Rules for the forward pass, which had been legalized only two years earlier, were modified, and passing was still a risky play. "If the ball on the forward pass is touched and then freed, and is touched by another player on the passer's side, it will be given to the opponents at the point where the ball was illegally touched," and it was noted that the rule change was to stop the practice of a passer throwing the ball high "with the hopes that some one of his teammates would get the ball in the general scramble that followed,".[2] In addition, halftime was extended from ten minutes to fifteen [2]

The rules for American football in 1908 were significantly different from whose of a century later, as many of the present rules (100 yard field, four downs to gain ten yards, 6-point touchdown and the 3-point field goal) were not adopted until 1912.[3] The rules in 1908 were:

  • Field 110 yards in length
  • Kickoff made from midfield
  • Three downs to gain ten yards
  • Touchdown worth 5 points
  • Field goal worth 4 points
  • Forward pass legal, but subject to penalties

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 3Hampden–Sydney
W 50–0[4]
October 10at Clemson
W 6–0[5]
October 173:00 p.m.at Princeton
L 4–103,000[6][7][8]
October 243:30 p.m.vs. VMIRoanoke, VA (rivalry)W 10–0[9]
October 31vs. Washington and LeeLynchburg, VAW 15–45,000[10][11]
November 73:30 p.m.vs. North Carolina
W 10–02,000[12][13][14]
November 144:45 p.m.George Washington
  • Gibboney Field
  • Blacksburg, VA
L 0–6[15]
November 21at Navy
L 4–15[16]
November 263:00 p.m.vs. North Carolina A&M
L 5–65,000[17]

Game summaries

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Hampden–Sydney

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Clemson

[edit]
VPI at Clemson
1 2Total
• VPI 6 0 6
Clemson 0 0 0
  • Date: October 10, 1908
  • Location: Bowman Field
    Calhoun, SC
  • Referee: Bowcock (Georgetown)
See also: 1908 Clemson Tigers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Campbell (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), J. Jones (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Clemson was: T. E. Horton (left end), F. V. Gilmer (left tackle), Frank Fleming (left guard), J. T. Cochran (center), Onan Hydrick (right guard), William Odom (right tackle), Walter White (right end), Stricker Coles (quarterback), R. D. McFadden (left halfback), C. F. Lokey (right halfback), Charles Robbs (fullback).

Princeton

[edit]
VPI at Princeton
1 2Total
VPI 4 0 4
• Princeton 0 10 10
See also: 1908 Princeton Tigers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), J. Jones (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Princeton was: Harry G. Buckingham (left end), Rudolph Siegling (left tackle), P. E. Waller (left guard), N. R. Cass (center), D. M. MacFayden (right guard), F. C. Bamman (right tackle), T. H. Welch (right end), R. E. Bard (quarterback), F. B. Read (left halfback), C. S. Coxe (right halfback), V. S. Merle-Smith (fullback). The substitutes were: Frank Bergin, H. W. Bishop, A. B. Clark, Logan Cunningham, Fred Dawson, E. C. Feigenspann, H. E. Gill, P. M. King, T. N. Pfeiffer, W. R. Sparks, Frederick Tibbott, J. Waller and F. M. Whaley.

VMI

[edit]
VMI vs. VPI
1 2Total
VMI 0 0 0
• VPI 10 0 10
  • Date: October 24, 1908
  • Location: Roanoke, VA
  • Game start: 3:30 p.m.
  • Referee: Williams (UVA)
See also: 1908 VMI Keydets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), J. Jones (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback).

The starting lineup for VMI was: William Poague (left end), George Alexander (left tackle), John Minton (left guard), Harry Dashiell (center), Richard Clemmer (right guard), H. Pattison (right tackle), Henry Poague (right end), Donald McMillen (quarterback), G. Cook Ferebee (left halfback), Porter (right halfback), George MacLean (fullback). The substitutes were: R. DeVant, Paul English, Herbert Kinsolving and Thomas Scott.

Washington and Lee

[edit]
Washington & Lee vs. VPI
1 2Total
W&L 0 4 4
• VPI 15 0 15

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), J. Jones (right tackle), Hicks (right end), A. Hodgson (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Connolly and Gravely.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Carey (left end), Cleon Osbourn (left tackle), Richard Morales (left guard), William Pipes (center), Julian Pelter (right guard), Guyte McCord (right tackle), Henry Smartt (right end), W. H. Feuerstein (quarterback), John Izard (left halfback), W. C. Armentrout (right halfback), Edwin Alderson (fullback).

North Carolina

[edit]
North Carolina vs. VPI
1 2Total
UNC 0 0 0
• VPI 0 10 10
See also: 1908 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), J. Jones (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Davis.

The starting lineup for North Carolina was: James Wiggins (left end), Cecil Garrett (left tackle), George Rodgers (left guard), Archie Deans (center), Robert Howell (right guard), Eston Norwood (right tackle), John Manning (right end), John Tillett (quarterback), Colin Ruffin (left halfback), William Thomas (right halfback), Louis Belden (fullback). The substitutes were: William Lester and Daniel Williams.

George Washington

[edit]
See also: 1908 George Washington Hatchetites football team
[edit]
VPI at Navy
1 2Total
VPI 4 0 4
• Navy 11 4 15
See also: 1908 Navy Midshipmen football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), Smith (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Davis (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: J. Jones.

The starting lineup for Navy was: Raymond Jones (left end), Percy Northcroft (left tackle), George Meyer (left guard), Charles Brand (center), Percy Wright (right guard), Frank Leighton (right tackle), Davis (right end), Ed Lange (quarterback), John Dalton (left halfback), Henry Clay (right halfback), W. A. Richardson (fullback). The substitutes were: Anderson, Lee Carey, Calvin Cobb, Dixon, Robert Elmer, Grafton, Hibbard, T. Starr King, Elmer Niles, Frederick Reinicke, Ingram C. Sowell and Stewart.

North Carolina A&M

[edit]
See also: 1908 North Carolina A&M Aggies football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Huffard (left end), H. Jones (left tackle), Walker (left guard), Gibbs (center), H. Hodgson (right guard), Smith (right tackle), Hicks (right end), Connolly (quarterback), Luttrell (left halfback), Billups (right halfback), V. Hodgson (fullback). The substitutes were: Davis, Jones, Legge and Norris.

The starting lineup for North Carolina A&M was: Harry Hartsell (left end), J. L. Von Glahn (left tackle), James Dunn (left guard), John Bray (center), E. C. Gattis (right guard), J. B. Ross (right tackle), James Sadler (right end), Samuel Stephens (quarterback), J. W. Sexton (left halfback), Frank Thompson (right halfback), J. S. Stroud (fullback). The substitutes were: Joseph Davidson, D. B. Floyd, William Johnson, Harry Mott, David Seifert, S. A. Spencer, Joseph Whitehurst and Wilson.

Players

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The following players were members of the 1908 football team according to the roster published in the 1909 edition of The Bugle, the Virginia Tech yearbook.[18]

VPI 1908 roster
Quarterback
  • Frederick William Connolly

Guards

Tackles

  • Harry Guilford Jones
  • John Porter Jones

Center

  • Aubrey Gravatt Gibbs
 Ends
  • Thomas Paret Hicks
  • Paul Phillippi Huffard

Halfbacks

  • Henry Evans Billups
  • Joseph Talmage Luttrell (Capt.)

Fullback

  • Vivian Burnett Hodgson

Coaching and training staff

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  • Head coach: R. M. Brown
  • Manager: H. H. Hutchinson
  • Assistant manager: F. C. Stoneburner

References

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  1. ^ "'Big Five' Football Teams Begin Practice Next Week," The Atlanta Constitution, Sep. 14 '08, p7
  2. ^ a b Id.
  3. ^ Danzig, Allison (1956). The History of American Football: Its Great Teams, Players, and Coaches. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. pp. 70–71.
  4. ^ "Techs Outclass Hampden-Sidney". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. October 4, 1908. p. 7. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  5. ^ "Clemson---V.P.I. Game". The Tiger. Clemson University. October 15, 1908. p. 10. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "Tigers Were Hard Pushed". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. October 19, 1908. p. 6. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  7. ^ "V.P.I. Defeated". The Daily Princetonian. Princeton University. October 19, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "Virginia "Poly" Scores On Tigers". The New York Times. October 18, 1908. p. 49. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "V.P.I. The Winner By Small Margin". The Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. October 27, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "Techs Play Rings Round W. & L." Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 1, 1908. p. 5. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "V. P. I. Wins The Lynchburg Game". The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. November 2, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  12. ^ "Techs and Tarheels Ready For the Fray". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 7, 1908. p. 5. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  13. ^ "Tech Outpoint Carolina Rivals". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 8, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  14. ^ "V.P.I. Defeats Carolina". The Tar Heel. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 12, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "South Atlantic Football Championship". The GW Hatchet. George Washington University. November 19, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "V.P.I. Meets Navy With Swift Front". The Washington Times. Library of Congress. November 22, 1908. p. 16. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "Their Relations Are Broken Off". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Library of Congress. November 27, 1908. p. 9. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  18. ^ "The Bugle 1909" (PDF). Virginia Tech Bugle. 1909. p. 152. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
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